January 2011
Monthly Archive
Mussels Inspire Benign Glue
Posted by davidwfox on 30 Jan 2011 | Tagged as: biomimicry
Biomimicry + Green Chemistry = New Solutions:
“Our aspiration is to learn some new design principles from nature that we haven’t yet actually been using in man-made materials that we can then apply to make man-made materials even better,” said Chicago postdoctoral scholar Niels Holten-Andersen.
Continued at: http://www.gizmag.com/
By building on recent advances that used atomic-force microscopy to puzzle out the mussel’s secrets, the researchers synthesized an organic polymer and mixed it with metal salts at low pH. The mixture turns into a gel when the pH is increased by adding sodium hydroxide. In addition to uses as an underwater adhesive, the substance has medical applications as surgical glue. And, because its design is based on nature, it can be manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner.
Continued at: http://taintedgreen.com/
Backyard Biomimicry Workshops
Posted by davidwfox on 28 Jan 2011 | Tagged as: biomimicry
Get some hand on biomimicry experience:
Learn about biomimicry in the context of your local ecosystem with the foremost leaders in the field and connect with others in your regional biomimicry network. In this Backyard Biomimicry workshop, you’ll co-learn with students and professionals of various disciplines about the foundations of biomimicry and equip yourself to approach your region’s most pressing design challenges by drawing inspiration from the natural world — found right in your own backyard.
http://www.biomimicry.net/ProfessionalPathways/html/pathway/backyard_workshops.html
Professional Pathways | Biomimicry Group
Posted by davidwfox on 16 Jan 2011 | Tagged as: biomimicry, events
News from the Biomimicry Group:
A press release going out on Monday, but I wanted you all to be the first to know about our very first online video contest! We are giving away 3 seats in our upcoming Backyard Biomimicry 3-day workshops (a $750 value!) to the best 60 second video responses to “Why biomimicry? Why now?” Winners will be chosen from 10 finalists with the most online views by March 11.
Vancouver, BC, San Francisco, CA, and Austin, TX will be hosting our 3-day Backyard Biomimicry workshops in April 2011. These workshops are your first step in the Biomimicry Professional Pathway or they can be a great way to refresh or deepen your understanding of biomimicry. At these workshops, you will learn the foundations of biomimicry with the foremost leaders in the field and connect with others in the biomimicry network. The workshops include (all workshop legs require registration):
Evening lecture: Latest news in the world of biomimicry – donations only (all proceeds go to the Biomimicry Institute)
Day 1: Foundations of Biomimicry – $249
Days 2 & 3: Hands-on Exploration of the Foundations of Biomimicry – $499Thanks to our Backyard Biomimicry sponsors Autodesk in San Francisco and Vinson & Elkins in Austin!
The Costa Rica Expeditions in March are open for registration – The deadline to register is February 11!
Biomimicry Taking Off
Posted by davidwfox on 09 Jan 2011 | Tagged as: biomimicry
If you’re flying United this month you can read this article in print, but if not…check it out on United’s web site.
The fast-growing field of biomimicry encourages innovators to look to nature-in all its wonder and weirdness-for solutions to our trickiest problems. Continued in Hemispheres Magazine…
Top 5 Nature Related Biomimicry Articles
Posted by davidwfox on 05 Jan 2011 | Tagged as: biomimicry
RobAid.com is site that covers robots, gadgets, technology and bionics. They offer an interesting ”Top 5” biomimicry-related list for 2010.
If nothing else, the world around us had much more time to shape itself to the current layout we can see around us. By learning from nature, and implementing those ideas, we can improve the efficiency of current designs and technologies, or even come up with new technologies just by mimicking nature. Biomimicry has been applied in all the areas of our website, from robotics, gadgets and architecture design, to various implementations in emerging technologies.
